Trustworthy COVID-19 Resources
Please resolve to get your COVID-19 news from a few reputable sources and don’t go wandering through the wilds of the internet just to see what you can find. I promise you, it won’t be pretty, it likely won’t be true, and it won’t make you feel better.
I’m a Registered Nurse who helped treat the USA’s first COVID-19 patient as part of my hospital’s biocontainment team. I also worked in the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, so I’ve been in the trenches with multiple outbreaks. I became an accidental science communicator on Instagram as the first months of the pandemic unfolded, and spend two solid years fighting misinformation during most of my waking hours. These are some of the sources I trust for fact-based information on COVID-19.
General Sources for Trustworthy COVID-19 News:
The Atlantic (Worth subscribing – my favorite news source! Highly recommend everything written by Ed Yong.)
ProPublica (Excellent investigative journalism. I recommend articles by Caroline Cheng about COVID.)
Your local public health website – Google “[your county/state] COVID”. They should have a website where you can find latest local statistics and public health recommendations. Edit: Unfortunately some of these sites are no longer being frequently/accurately updated as funding for the pandemic response lapses.
If you’re on Instagram, there are a lot of incredible experts sharing their work on COVID there. If you’ve seen something scary online and you’re not sure if it’s true, these science communicators do an excellent job of quickly debunking the latest misinformation and conspiracy theories. Check their recent posts, highlights, and stories and likely you will find the explanation you’re looking for.
Laurel Bristow - COVID/Infectious Disease Researcher. Most info is saved in her highlights.
Science Whiz Liz - Immunologist and science communicator. She has covered almost every COVID topic in her posts.
Epidemiologist Kat - Epidemiologist who frequently debunks the latest misinformation.
Jessica Malaty Rivera - Infectious disease epidemiologist. She led the COVID tracking.
Nini Munoz - Scientist who tackles misinformation and thoroughly explains issues using reliable data.
Dr. Darien Sutton - ER doctor offering firsthand COVID knowledge.
Unbiased Science - An immunologist and a public health scientist share trustworthy science. They also have an excellent podcast.
If you’re on Twitter: Here is the list of epidemiologists, doctors, scientists, and other COVID-19 experts I follow for explanations and context for what I’m seeing in the news.
Fact-Checking Resources
You Must Not “Do Your Own Research” When it Comes to Science (Forbes)
Tips on Fact Checking COVID-19 Information
Remember: The COVID-19 pandemic (like any outbreak of a new disease) is a constantly changing situation. A statistic I quote today might be out of date tomorrow. There are an incredible number of factors and variables that affect the spread and severity of the disease. So as things change over time, it doesn’t mean anyone lied or messed up. It just means we’re getting more data every day – and that’s a good thing! The more we know, the better we can respond.
Helpful COVID-19 Articles:
These are some COVID-19 articles that I found useful and thought-provoking.
A Room, A Bar and A Classroom: How the Coronavirus is Spread Through the Air (El Pais) - An excellent piece with illustrations showing how COVID spreads through the air. I found this very helpful for assessing the risk in different scenarios, and how to reduce it.
Don’t Get A False Sense of Security with Covid-19 Testing. Here’s why you can test negative but still be infected and contagious (CNN) - How COVID testing works.
The Difference Between Feeling Safe and Being Safe (The Atlantic) - On accurately assessing risk (AKA, the pandemic isn’t over just because you’re over it)
Covid-19 long-haulers and the experience of ‘hidden’ disabilities (Stat News)
What Strength Really Means When You’re Sick (The Atlantic)
How to Tell If Socializing Indoors Is Safe (The Atlantic)
Inside the Fall of the CDC (ProPublica)
The Coronavirus Surge that Will Define the Next Four Years (The Atlantic)
Health Care Workers Ask Therapist: ‘Why Aren’t More People Taking This Seriously?’(NPR)
COVID-19 Support Groups
The Emotional PPE Project - Free therapy for healthcare workers
Nurse Groups - I attended this weekly virtual support group for several months and found it very helpful.
COVID-19 Support Group - For COVID survivors
Resources for COVID-19 and Pregnancy
Obstetricians on Instagram: @babiesafter35 , @dr.martaperez , @mamadoctorjones
Evidence Based Birth – Unbiased, evidence based source of pregnancy information. Scroll down for monthly research updates (written in understandable terms) on the latest news on COVID and pregnancy. They also have a free class on Birthing in the Time of COVID-19 and a sample Informed Consent Form for Refusing to Separate Birth Parent and Infant, if you’re worried about being separated from your baby.
Links to some of our Instagram stories you may find helpful:
How to Create A Pandemic Pod or “Bubble” to Socialize Safely (Created summer 2020)
Understanding COVID Numbers (Test positivity, case numbers, death counts – what does it all mean? Created Spring 2020)
COVID-19 and Schools (Created summer 2020)
Info on When & How to Reopen (Created spring 2020)
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